Halfway Mark -- But What's the Point?

I continue to keep this blog, barely, logging my daily food intake and expenditures. I blew my budget out of the water in the first month. Since then, honestly, I haven't really been trying. Because what's the point? I don't want to quit, so I keep going. But I don't really have a purpose anymore. No goal. The only real enjoyment I get from this is cooking and sharing recipes and photos. I've learned the cheap foods are foods I don't like to eat day after day. And the cheap grocery stores have crappier produce. It's summer in Portland, the best produce is available at the Farmers Markets, and it's pricier.

It seems I either need to euthanize this blog, or redirect. Cooking with a new vegetable each time? Or new ingredient? I don't know, I need to think about it some. For now, signing off.

Risotto Verde Recipe & Day 44 Recap

This risotto is super creamy and flavorful with a couple of my favorite veggies: leeks and spinach. It's a healthy version of the traditional risotto but you'd never know the difference. I swear. This is a modified version of a recipe from What's Cooking Vegetarian cookbook (took out some herbs).

Ingredients
3 pints vegetable stock
2 T olive oil
2 garlic cloves, crushed
2 leeks, shredded
1 1/4 cup aborio rice
1 1/4 cup dry white wine
8 oz baby spinach
3 T natural unsweetened yogurt
Salt and pepper
Shredded leek to garnish

Directions
Boil stock in a large saucepan, reduce heat to simmer. Heat oil in a separate pan and saute garlic and leeks for 2-3 minutes. Stir in the rice and cook for 2 minutes, stirring until well coated. Pour in half the wine and a little hot stock. Cook over gentle heat until all liquid has been absorbed. Add remaining stock and wine and cook over a low heat for 25 minutes or until the rice is creamy. Stir in the baby spinach, season well with salt and pepper, and cook for 2 minutes. Stir in the yogurt, garnish with the shredded leek, and serve immediately.

Breakfast
Coffee with fat free half and half and sugar
Blueberry cobbler fat free yogurt

Snack
Banana

Lunch
Leftover butternut squash mac 'n cheese

Snack
Half bag of fritos from the vending machine ($1)

Dinner
Risotto Verde

Day 43 Recap. Running total: $547.98

I was hungry for fries last night and stopped at Freddie's on the way home. $1.99 bag of frozen fries.

Breakfast
Instant oatmeal with dried cranberries
Coffee with nonfat vanilla creamer

Lunch
Half "meat"loaf sandwich with olive oil mayo on whole wheat
Pear

Snack
Snap peas
Strawberry

Dinner
Baked fries
Fry sauce (olive oil mayo and ketchup)

Running Total: $545.29

Meriwethers: Huevos rancheros and coffee - $15?

New Seasons Market
Red wine vinegar: $3.99
Heinz ketchup: $1.99
Boca ground "burger": $3.50
Parmesan: $2.45
Frozen squash: $2.59
Whole wheat pasta: $2.49
Bulk salad mix: $1.82
1 yellow onion: $1.24
1 stalk celery: $0.21
2 roma tomatoes: $1.27

Safeway
Pico de gallo salsa: $2.00
Tortilla chips: $1.79
Fat free half and half: $1.49
1/2 dozen eggs: $0.99
2 bananas: $0.45
2 pears: $2.07

"Meat"loaf and Butternut Mac 'n Cheese Recipes

This "meat"loaf recipe tastes like the real thing only it's much better for you at only 140 calories per slice (makes 8 slices). The Butternut Squash Mac 'n Cheese recipe is a modification of a Rachel Ray recipe. I hate squash but I love this mac 'n cheese. You'd never know there was squash and it's so flavorful and creamy.

"Meat"loaf Recipe
Ingredients
1 pkg Morningstar Farms ground meatless all vegetable burger crumbles
1/2 cup panko
1 cup diced onion
1/2 cup ketchup
2 eggs
1 stalk celery diced
1/2 teaspoon vegetable oil
Oregano

Directions
Preheat oven to 350. Saute onions and celery in oil over medium heat. In mixing bowl, combine meatless burger crumbles, eggs, oregano, and panko. Add onions and celery and mix. Press into a loaf pan sprayed with cooking spray. Bake in oven for about 60 minutes. Spread ketchup over loaf during the last 15 minutes of baking time.

Butternut Squash Mac 'n Cheese
Ingredients
1 lb whole wheat fusilli
Salt
1 T olive oil
2 T butter
1/2 medium onion, diced
2 T fresh thyme leaves
3 T flour
2 cups vegetable stock
1 (10 oz) bag frozen cooked butternut squash, defrosted
1 cup fat free half and half
2 cups shredded cheddar
1/2 cup grated parmesan
1/4 t ground nutmeg
Black pepper

Directions
Cook the pasta to al dente in salted water. While pasta cooks, heat olive oil and butter in a saucepan over medium heat. Add thyme and onion and cook 1-2 minutes, then add flour and cook together 1-2 more minutes. Stir in the stock, then combine with butternut squash until warmed through. Put in a blender and puree until smooth, put back in saucepan. Add half and half and bring sauce to a bubble. Stir in cheeses bit by bit and season the completed sauce with salt, nutmeg, and pepper. Toss with the pasta.

Comcast & Days 40-42 Recaps

I am finally back online as of last night, after a couple days of trouble. But yay! I didn't have time to blog last night though, so no pictures. Let's see if I can remember the last few days...

Day 40
Breakfast
Key lime nonfat yogurt
Coffee with nonfat vanilla creamer

Snack
Almond poppyseed mini muffin from a coworker

Lunch
Tossed salad with tomato, Walla Walla onion, feta, homemade croutons, red wine vinegar and olive oil

Dinner
Leftover "meat"loaf and butternut squash mac 'n cheese

Snack
Chips and salsa

Day 41
Brunch at Meriwethers
Coffee with cream and sugar
Huevos rancheros

Snack
Chips and salsa

Dinner
Butternut squash mac 'n cheese

Day 42
Breakfast
Whole wheat toast with canola margarine
Coffee with nonfat 1/2 and 1/2 and sugar

Lunch
Butternut squash mac 'n cheese

Dinner at Hoda's
Super felafel pita

Day 39 Recap

I went to New Seasons last night to pick up stuff to make a Midwest meal of meatloaf and mac 'n cheese, but I'll have to report back later what I spent. And the recipes. They were healthier - and more tasty - than the traditional dishes.

Breakfast
Instant oatmeal with dried cranberries
Coffee with nonfat vanilla creamer

Lunch
Tossed green salad with Walla Walla onion, feta, homemade croutons, olive oil, and white wine vinegar

Snack
2 pieces manchego cheese

Dinner
Tossed mixed greens salad with Walla Walla onion, feta, homemade croutons, tomato, olive oil, and red wine vinegar
Meatless meatloaf (recipe to come)
Butternut squash mac 'n cheese (recipe to come)

Brownies At Work, Girls Night Out, & Day 38 Recap

My coworker brought brownies to work and set them on the table by my desk. They had chocolate chips in them. I had three. In my defense, they were 1" squares.

After work I went to this awesome Girls Night Out event at Fit Right NW, a local running store, with my friend Dana. There were lots of vendor booths and presentations on things like finding the right sports bra. The salon booth gave away fliers about how to wear your hair during workouts and how to take care of it after a work out. There was a chocolate booth, a wine booth, and a catering business booth. Women-owned small businesses, including one that made non-poofy running shorts. I got a wonderful new sports bra that "encapsulates and contours" instead of making a smooshed uni-boob. There was also a raffle and I won an item of Brooks clothing. Wahoo!

Breakfast
Coffee with nonfat vanilla creamer
Brownie

Snack
Brownie

Lunch
Half "B"LT sandwich (with fakin bacon)
Roasted red potatoes

Snack
Brownie

Dinner
Scrambled egg and roasted red potatoes

Girls Night Out
Caprese salad skewer
Chocolate

Snack
Microwave popcorn with garlic powder

I Heart Fakin Bacon and Day 37 Recap

I love tempeh, and I especially love a tempeh product called Fakin Bacon which Erica turned me onto. Tempeh is a soy product made from whole beans that are fermented. Tofu is also a soy product, which I hate, but it is not made from whole beans and it's processed differently. Tempeh is higher in protein and is easier to digest. And, it's more flavorful with kind of a nutty flavor. Fakin Bacon has a smoked hickory flavor which is delicious. You saute it in a little olive oil and it crips up like bacon. We put it in a salad last night and I had it in a "B"LT sandwich for lunch today. Yummy!

Breakfast
Strawberries and cherries
Coffee with nonfat vanilla creamer

Lunch
Cheddar, lettuce, tomato, olive oil mayo, and mustard half sandwich on whole wheat

Snack
Whole wheat toast with canola margarine

Dinner
Tossed green salad with Walla Walla onion, toasted hazelnuts, feta, fakin bacon, olive oil, and balsamic vinegar
Crusty bread
Olive oil, balsamic vinegar, minced garlic, and salt for dipping
Manchego cheese
Toasted almonds
Quince

Dessert
Square of 70% dark chocolate

Roasted Potato Recipe & Day 36 Recap

I got some red potatoes from the Farmers Market this weekend and I have a pot of rosemary growing in my kitchen windowsill, so I made this recipe last night from the Best Recipes cookbook. I've never had a bad recipe out of that cookbook, in fact, they're the best! These roasted potatoes are crispy on the outside and soft on the inside, and very flavorful.

Ingredients
2 lbs red potatoes
Olive oil
Salt
Ground black pepper
2 T fresh chopped rosemary
2 cloves garlic, minced

Directions
Preheat oven to 425 degrees. Cut potatoes in half, then into 3/4" wedges. Toss with olive oil, salt, and pepper in a big bowl. Put on a shallow baking sheet in a single layer, flesh side down. Cover tightly with foil and bake for 20 minutes. Take the foil off, bake another 10-15 minutes. Flip them all over and bake another 5-10 minutes until browned. In the last three minutes of roasting, sprinkle with the rosemary. Take them out and toss with the garlic in a big bowl.

Breakfast
Leftover lemon curd and raspberry tart from Evan's bday
Coffee with nonfat vanilla creamer

Lunch
New Seasons Caesar salad

Snack
Harvest cheddar sunchips

Dinner
Roasted red potatoes with rosemary and garlic (see recipe)
Reduced fat triscuits
Cheddar cheese

Snack
Microwave popcorn with garlic powder

ISP Divorce and Days 31-35 Recaps. Running total: $500

I have been very frustrated with my internet service provider recently, and finally divorced them a couple days ago. It was a wireless provider and the signal has been really weak for several months. This makes navigation really slow. Many times I have no connection at all. I've already called and complained twice, both times they told me a tower was down. On Day 31 I was trying to upload a photo and it'd drop me right in the middle of a slow upload. I'd get a connection again, try again, and it'd drop me again. Finally I bagged it, and canceled my service. Now I'm shopping for a replacement.

The ISP Divorce combined with the fact that I'm not meeting my goal of $150/month on healthy food has made me lose motivation for keeping this blog. I've already blown my 90 budget out of the water in a third of the time. I blew one month's budget just this weekend. It was a special occasion, my boyfriend's 30th birthday. Most social events revolve around food, and this was no exception. We went to a nice dinner on Friday night, a BBQ on Saturday, and a picnic in the park on Sunday. And a family dinner last night, but that didn't hit my budget. Uuuugh. I never really realized how much I spent on food until I did this blog. I've been aware of what I spend on groceries, but not what I spend on eating out. That's what really hits the budget.

I really can't even tell you what I've eaten the last few days. This weekend there were a lot of indulgences, which were delicious. But my digestive system is definitely a little wonky now. I only ran one time last week, no other exercise. I'm feeling a little off as a result. This week, back to healthy eating and I've penciled in some exercise onto my calendar. Today, spin class. Tuesday and Thursday lunchtime runs with my coworkers. Wednesday and Friday lap swimming. Saturday strength training and a bike ride. Sunday morning long run.

Day 30 Recap

Not too much to speak of yesterday. A boring post.

Breakfast
Lemon chiffon fat free yogurt
Coffee with fat free half and half and sugar

Snack
Blueberries

Lunch
Broccoli bacon salad

Snack
Cinnamon roll at the office

Dinner
Leftover mac 'n cheese and cornbread

Snack
Microwave popcorn with garlic powder

Sneaky Mac 'N Cheese and a Day in the Life: Day 29 Recap

I went to Erica's tonight and she tricked me into eating winter squash. She snuck it into macaroni and cheese, and I'm not going to lie, it was delicious. Here's the recipe: http://www.foodnetwork.com/recipes/ellie-krieger/macaroni-and-4-cheeses-recipe2/index.html. Incidentally, I also learned there's really not a lot of down time caring for an infant full time. Oh my gosh! And Gus is a great baby! I achieved a new level of respect for Erica.

Day 29 Recap
Oatmeal with blueberries and dried cranberries
Coffee with expired vanilla creamer - finally finished it!
Leftover cheesy spinach orzo
Dinner at Erica's: sneaky mac 'n cheese and a tossed salad with facon

I'm Back. Let's Call It Running Total: $350

Ya, I've been gone for a few days. Partly because I've been busy and mainly because I've been eating out. Here's my confession for the past few days. I got groceries and also paid for three meals out, let's call it $150. I think that's safe.

Friday, Day 26 Recap
Instant oatmeal and dried cranberries
Coffee with expired vanilla creamer
I think lunch was wild rice
Dinner was the Screen Door Plate at the Screen Door: salad, mac 'n cheese, sweet potato fries

Saturday, Day 27 Recap
Bagel and egg sandwich
Coffee with cream and sugar
Lunch at Radio Cafe: grilled cheese and fries
Dinner at Pata Negra: spanish tortilla and patatas bravas

Sunday, Day 28 Recap
Banana and almonds
Coffee with cream and sugar
Lunch provided by Blue Lake Olympic triathlon (a couple bites only, otherwise digestive trouble!)
Papa Murphy's take-and-bake pizza

Cheesy Orzo Recipe

Why can't I get a good picture of this?

This is a Rachel Ray recipe that I've modified to include spinach and thyme. I picked up the aforementioned ingredients plus bulk orzo at $5.25.

Ingredients
2 T olive oil
1/2 small onion, diced
2 cloves garlic, chopped
3 cups veggie stock
2 cups orzo
1/2 cup grated parmesan or romano
5 cups spinach
1 T fresh thyme
Salt and freshly ground black pepper

Directions
Preheat 8 inch pot with tight fitting lid over medium heat. Add oil, onion, and garlic and saute for 2-3 minutes. Add broth and bring to a boil. Stir in orzo and return to a boil. Cover pot and reduce heat to simmer. Cook 15 minutes, stirring occasionally, or until liquid is absorbed and pasta tender. A few minutes before it's done add spinach and thyme. Remove lid and stir in cheese. Season with salt and pepper to taste.

Poached Eggs Over Rice Recipe

This was a perfectly poached egg that slid off to the side, then broke when I scooted it back to the middle. I swear!

Thank you to Erica for recommending this recipe found on 101cookbooks.com. It's surprisingly flavorful. The egg makes sort of a dressing and the red pepper flakes add a little kick. I had everything except rainbow chard, which I picked up for $2.29. Serves four.

Ingredients
1 T olive oil
1/2 onion, chopped
2 pinches salt
Pinch crushed red pepper flakes
3/4 cup organic extra firm tofu (optional), 1/4" dice (I hate tofu, didn't use)
1 small clove garlic, chopped
2-3 cups dark leafy green, deveined, and finely chopped
2-3 cups pre-cooked whole grain rice (I used 2/3 brown rice and 1/3 wild rice)
4 good quality eggs

Directions
Fill a wide-mouthed saucepan with 3-4" water and bring to a simmer

Warm the olive oil in a large skillet over medium high heat. Stir in the onion, salt, and crushed red pepper flakes. Let the onions soften up a bit - a couple minutes. Stir in the tofu and brown a tad (if using). Stir in the garlic and greens. Cook the greens for a couple minutes, until they collapse and soften up. Stire in the pre-cooked rice and saute until hot. Remove from heat and set aside. Season to taste.

Gently crack an egg into a ramekin (or mug in my case), carefully slip into a mesh strainer over your sink - some of the whites will run through and strain off. This minimizes the fly-away whites you normally get. Carefully slide the egg back into the ramekin/mug. Lower down into the simmering water and let the egg slip out. Let it simmer for a few minutes, past the poit when the white have become opaque. If you like a loose yolk, cook for less time. Remove egg with a strainer or slotted spoon and serve it atop some rice. Repeat process with remaining eggs.

Pricey Grocery Stores Attract Skinniest Shoppers

I'm sure by now you've noticed that I exceeded my $150 monthly food budget in just a couple weeks. I'm improving as the weeks go by, but still, in the end I'm being proven wrong. There's no doubt about it.

As further proof, a friend sent me a link to a recent article on MSNBC recently about a survey done in Seattle. The survey found that obesity rates were higher in lower-end grocery stores than in higher-end grocery stores. Whole Foods shoppers had an obesity rate of just 4% while Albertsons shoppers rang in at a whopping 38%. The study's lead author, Adam Drewnowski, said these findings suggested that obesity is linked with income level. And, furthermore, healthy food is more expensive.

I found another article by the survey's lead author published in the November/December 2009 issue of Nutrition Today entitled, "Can Low-Income Americans Afford a Healthy Diet?" In short, the answer is no. He says that lower-income households purchase cheaper, more energy-dense foods like cereals, pasta, potatoes, legumes, and fatty meats. And their vegetables and fruits are often limited to iceberg lettuce, potatoes, canned corn, bananas, and frozen OJ. Incidentally, does this sound like a Midwest diet to anyone else? Or just my household's diet???

The article also talked about the Thrifty Food Plan (TFP) put out by the US Department of Agriculture to support the argument that healthy diets can be inexpensive. The TFP is used as the basis for maximum food stamp allowance. In June 2008, the TFP was estimated at $588.30 per month for a family of four. Um, that's roughly my food budget times four. Drewnowski also argues that the TFP is low in palatability and variety, and also time intensive to prepare, a luxury many low-income Americans don't have.

So clearly, this is not going to work out for me. I'll keep trying and see this venture to the end, if for no other reason to see just how wrong I am.

Link to MSNBC article: http://www.msnbc.msn.com/id/37280972/ns/health-diet_and_nutrition/

Link to Thrifty Food Plan: http://www.cnpp.usda.gov/Publications/FoodPlans/MiscPubs/TFP2006Report.pdf

Broccoli-Bacon Salad Recipe, Day 25 Recap, Running Total: $197.62

I was weak and bought a bag of New York Cheddar Kettle chips on sale at Albertson's for $2.50 while I was renting a Red Box movie. Like I said before, Albertson's is the devil. You'll see they were my dinner, and yes, they gave me a stomach ache.

This Broccoli-Bacon Salad recipe came from an employee wellness campaign website at work called Thrive Across America. Cheesy name, I know. Teams of five log their daily physical activity and it shows you traveling along a virtual route through our territories across America. It's a competition. My team's not winning. That's okay.

Ingredients
Clove of garlic, minced
1/4 cup olive oil mayo
1/4 fat-free sour cream
2 t cider vinegar
1 t sugar
2 heads broccoli, finely chopped
8-oz can water chestnuts, chopped
4-5 T fake bacon bits (the recipe actually calls for 3 strips bacon, crumbled)
3 T dried cranberries
Freshly ground pepper to taste

Directions
Whisk garlic, mayo, sour cream, vinegar, and sugar in a large bowl. Add broccoli, water chestnuts, fake bacon bits, cranberries, and pepper and stir to coat with the dressing.
----------------------------------------------
Breakfast
Instant oatmeal
Coffee with expired vanilla creamer

Lunch
Leftover 3-day chili with shredded cheddar

Snack
Strawberries

Dinner
Kettle chips

Expired Creamer, Groceries & Day 24 Recap. Running total: $195.12

I went to Safeway last night to stock up on groceries. Lucky for me I got to take home a couple leftovers from BBR. This helps my cause. Unlucky for me today I noticed my vanilla creamer expired in April. Ah well, it hasn't made me sick and I'm trying not to spend money, so screw it.

Safeway
Fake bacon bits: $2.25
Can water chestnuts: $1.35
Fat free half and half: $1.49
4 fat free yogurts: $1.80
1/2 dozen eggs: $0.99
California Pizza Kitchen white pizza: $5.99
Tillamook baby loaf of cheddar: $5.99
2 heads broccoli: $2.06
Head of garlic: $0.50
Dried cranberries: $1.99
2 pints strawberries: $2.99
Total: $27.40

Breakfast
2 mini bagels, scrambled egg, slice of cheddar, mayo, and mustard
Coffee with expired vanilla creamer (just noticed today and it's not killing me so screw it)

Lunch
Leftover pasta with salsa romesco

Snack
Strawberries
Dry roasted wasabi edamame

Dinner
Leftover spinach white pizza

A Fabulous Memorial Day and Days 20-23 Recaps

Aspen Lake, Black Butte Ranch

I had a wonderful Memorial Day weekend at Evan's parents' house at Black Butte Ranch in central Oregon. It was a 9.8 on a 10-point scale, really amazing, the 0.2 subtraction due to Abbey puking on the rug 10 minutes into the first morning of our first day. Hi, I had a glass of wine with you on my birthday once, and here I am 10 minutes into really spending time with you and my dog pukes on your rug. Awesome start to the weekend! I was mortified.

Things can only improve from there. On Saturday Evan's 60-something dad schooled me on a 27-mile bike ride and I made it into a brick workout and ran afterward. Sunday Evan, Abbey and I summited Black Butte and ate slunch at the top (snack/lunch). We made dinner for his parents that night and were ready to start knawing on our left arms by the time we got back. Monday morning we lap swam, sat in the steam room, put together a ping-pong table (wrong) and called it a trial run, ate a delicious veggie chili that had been cooking for three days, and headed home.

Every morning we opened the blinds to a forest full of old pines, walked Abbey in the crisp mountain air, had a leisurely breakfast, worked our bodies hard, walked Abbey again, had mouth-watering dinner with Evan's dad's amazing wine, and crashed hard. A [nearly] perfect weekend.

Day 20
Instant oatmeal
Coffee with vanilla creamer
Tomato
Multigrain water crackers
Wedge Laughing Cow cheese
Old Europe Inn in Salem (thanks Evan!): Prawn and goat cheese ravioli with crab and lemon cream sauce, caesar salad, chocolate cake with creme caramel

Day 21
French toast with syrup
Mixed berries
Coffee with milk and sugar
Leftover ravioli
Jen's Garden (thanks Evan's parents!): Pea pancake, spinach orzo with veggies, mixed greens salad, cheesecake

Day 22
English muffin sandwich with scrambled egg, cheddar, mayo, and mustard
Coffee with milk and sugar
Banana
Cliff bar
Bread, cheese, and olives
Pasta with seared scallops and salsa romesco
Red lettuce and spinach salad with red onion, avocado, tomato, gorgonzola, and Evan's dad's dressing :-)
Cheesecake square with raspberry sauce

Day 23
Swedish pancake with raspberry sauce
Coffee with milk and sugar
3-day veggie chili
Spinach white pizza
Microwave popcorn with garlic powder

Day 19 Recap and a Five Finger Discount. Running total: $167.72

I didn't have time to prepare what I had planned for dinner tonight so I swung by the New Seasons Market to pick up a Caesar salad. Boy do I love their Caesar salad. I went to the little dining area to get a fork and then went right out the door without paying. I realized it once I got to work. Oh my gosh, I can't believe what a thief I am! I am the Hamburglar but with Caesar salads.

Breakfast
2 rhubarb scones
Coffee with vanilla creamer

Lunch
Leftover quinoa

Snack
Pita chips

Dinner
New Seasons Caesar salad

Snack
Microwave popcorn (bought at QFC - $1.99)
Water crackers and Laughing Cow cheese wedge

Fattee Recipe & Day 18 Recap

I heard about this Lebonese layered dish from my clinical supervisor, and I attempted to recreate it on the fly. I've since googled some recipes that are different from this but my version was pretty tasty! It's usually made with chicken but of course I left that out. This recipe made two heaping plates.

Ingredients
2 pitas
1/2 cup apple cider vinegar
1/2 cup brown rice
Bunch of kale
2 cloves garlic
2/3 cup chickpeas
2/3 cup yogurt
cinnamon
cumin
paprika
salt
parsley

Directions
Cook rice as directed by the package. Sprinkle with cinnamon once cooked.

Mix yogurt with minced clove of garlic, cumin, and paprika.

Preheat oven to 400 degrees. Cut pitas like a pizza into triangles and peel apart the layers. Lay on a cookie sheet with the inside part facing up. Brush with olive oil and sprinkle with salt. Bake until lightly browned, about 4-5 minutes.

Destem kale and boil in a big pot of water for 7 minutes. Drain and rinse with cold water. Saute in olive oil over medium heat with a clove of sliced garlic for a couple minutes. Add 1/2 cup water, cover, and cook an additional 5 minutes. Sprinkle with cinnamon.

Cook apple cider vinegar until reduced by half.

Layer onto a plate like nachos: pita chips drizzled with vinegar, rice, kale, chickpeas, yogurt, parsley.

Breakfast
2 rhubarb scones
Coffee with cream and sugar

Lunch
Leftover frozen quinoa
Banana

Snack
Instant oatmeal

Dinner
Fattee

Day 17 Recap

Breakfast
Rhubarb scone
Coffee with vanilla

Lunch
Whole wheat pita with felafel, cabbage, and cucumber yogurt sauce

Snack
2 scones

Dinner
Leftover quinoa pulled out of the freezer

Snack
Microwave popcorn

Rhubarb Scones Recipe

Ingredients
2 cups flour
1 t cream of tartar
½ t baking soda
½ t salt
1 T sugar
2-3 sticks rhubarb, peeled and diced
4 T unsalted butter, chilled and cut into ½-inch pieces
3/4 cup half and half

Directions
Preheat oven to 450 degrees and grease a cookie sheet.

Whisk dry ingredients together in a large bowl. Mix in the rhubarb. Cut in the butter with a pastry cutter or two knives (or with your hands as I do!). Make a well in the middle, pour in the half and half, and mix with a rubber spatula. Turn dough onto a floured work surface and roll into a circle 1/2 inch thick. Cut like a pizza. Put the pieces on the cookie sheet and bake for 10-12 minutes or until lightly browned.

Day 16 Recap

I forgot my lunch today, so I walked down to Whole Foods on my lunch hour while my oil was being changed. Yikes, I didn't realize how much I spent on lunch and it wasn't that much! The dinner was my contribution, not the whole meal's cost.

Breakfast
Rhubarb scone and strawberries
Coffee with cream and sugar

Lunch - Whole Foods ($8.15 yikes!)
Spinach Orzo salad
Curry and rice from salad bar

Dinner - Whole Foods ($5.53)
Salad of mixed greens, tomato, avocado, red onion, goat cheese, toasted almonds, and sherry viniagrette
Bread with olive oil, a soft cheese, and a hard cheese
Black Butte Porter

Day 15 Recap

Breakfast
Coffee with cream and sugar
Rhubarb scone (see recipe)
Strawberries

Lunch
Leftover pizza

Dinner
Microwave popcorn

Grocery Shopping, Eating Out, & Day 14 Recap. Runnning Total: $152.05

I went out to eat today twice and broke my once/week rule. First, I meet with my supervisor toward LCSW licensure every other Saturday at 9:00 AM at Jim & Patty's coffee shop. I always get a coffee and a day-old pastry. It's $3.50 plus a $0.50 tip. I can't stop that. But I don't want it to count against my one meal out because I really want to make that meal great. Which today, oh my gosh, it was. My honey took me out and treated me well since I've been so disciplined about this whole thing. We started at my favorite restaurant, Blue Hour, and had a glass of wine and a cheese plate at the bar. That place never disappoints - in fact I am always blown away. So good. Then we continued on to Cafe Nell where we had reservations. A delicious cup of parsnip soup with black truffle oil and chives followed by a butter lettuce and mazzuno salad with goat cheese, toasted hazelnuts, and a champagne viniagrette dressing. Truly a treat for my tastebuds.

I also went shopping for food for the week, starting at my neighborhood farmers market. I've gotten to my budget in three weeks worth of food instead of four, but you'll notice I'm trending down with each passing week. I'm getting better at finding and preparing (and scavenging for) inexpensive healthy food. I'm confident I'll be more on target in month two. One of these days I'll start going to Winco.

Farmers Market:
Pint of strawberries
2 sticks rhubarb
1 bunch of kale
Total: $6

New Seasons:
0.83 lbs New Seasons bulk coffee: $6.63
Organic instant oatmeal (8 pkts): $3.00
3 organic bananas: $1.06
1 organic yellow onion: $0.88
2 organic tomatoes: $2.12
Can of garbanzo beans: $1.39
Bulk cream of tarter: $0.20
6 oz crumbled feta: $3.49
Reusable bag refund: -$0.05
Total: $18.72

Breakfast at Jim & Patty's
House coffee with cream and sugar
Day-old scone
$4.00 including tip

Lunch
Leftover spinach floretine quiche (a handout from work)

Dinner - thanks Evan!
Wine (split a pinot noir and a claret) and a 3-cheese plate (goat, sheep, and cow's milk cheeses) with quince paste, apple, and toasted nuts at Blue Hour
Parsnip and black truffle soup; fried goat cheese, butter lettuce, mazzuno, toasted hazelnuts, and champagne viniagrette and a glass of Pinot Noir at Cafe Nell

Day 13 Recap. Running total: $123.33

Breakfast
Pink lady apple
Weak coffee with vanilla creamer

Lunch
Whole wheat pita with felafel, cabbage, and cucumber yogurt sauce

Snack
Veggie wheat thins from the vending machine ($1)

Dinner
Papa Murphy's take-n-bake pizza (thanks Evan!)
Duck Pond Syrah ($7.99)

Albertsons is the Devil. $114.34

I got sucked in by Albertsons on the way home last night. Pop Secret microwave popcorn, on sale for $1.

A Day in the Life of a Scavenger. Day 12 Recap

This is what I got when I searched "scary scavenger" in Google images

I am down to the bottom of the barrel again, just like I was last Thursday. I had to reach into the depths of my freezer to scavenge for something edible for dinner, anything. I found a lone vegetable masala burger from Trader Joe's. It had freezer burn. I didn't care. I ate it plain.

Breakfast
Scrambled egg
1 T shredded cheddar
Coffee with vanilla creamer

Snack
Pink lady apple

Lunch
Whole wheat pita with felafel, shredded cabbage, and cucumber yogurt sauce (nonfat yogurt, dill, diced cucumber, lemon juice)

Dinner
Vegetable masala burger
Coleslaw

Tabouleh Recipe

Ingredients
1 cup bulgar wheat
1 1/4 cup warm water
3 spring onions finely chopped
4 firm tomatoes finely chopped
6 T chopped fresh parsley
4 T chopped fresh mint
6 T lemon juice
5 T olive oil
Salt and ground black pepper

Directions
Put bulgar wheat in a bowl and pour the water over it, let sit for 20 mins. Drain any excess water and put in a large bowl. Add the onions, tomatoes, parsley, and mint and toss. Add the olive oil, lemon juice, salt and pepper and toss again. Refridgerate for a couple hours before serving.

$1 at the Vending Machine and Day 11 Recap

I was soooo hungry by the end of the work day yesterday and I couldn't bear another handful of edamame. I justified a trip to the vending machine because I was going to a weights class at the gym right after work and needed sustenance. Yep.

Breakfast
Yogurt parfait:
Nancy's nonfat yogurt
Mixed frozen berries
Bob's Red Mill granola

Lunch
Cole slaw
Tabouleh (see recipe)

Snack
Sun chips

Dinner - thanks Evan!
Mixed greens salad with pear, blue cheese, roasted hazelnuts, and balsamic vinagrette

Running Low on Time and Coffee; Day 10 Recap

I currently have two jobs: full time Health Coach during the day, part time Research Associate at night. Add onto that I'm training for a triathlon which involves double workouts a couple days a week. It's temporary but it leaves me with limited time for food preparation, which seems to really be key in saving money. I have ingredients to make felafel pitas with tabouleh on the side. I just get home so exhausted I don't want to make it. So I endure meal after meal of the freaking Midwestern Pasta Salad instead. Ugh.

I am also running dangerously low on coffee. I'm out completely at home and probably have enough to last two more days at work. It's not going to last me through the week. Like alcohol, coffee is an unnecessary luxury I'm simply not willing to give up. So do I not count it in the food budget too? Excluding alcohol feels like cheating so excluding coffee too really feels like cheating. I'm trying to see if eating healthfully on $150/month is actually possible. I know alcohol and coffee are extras, and they don't take the place of something else that could be healthy. In other words, if I didn't drink coffee, I wouldn't drink something else in the morning instead. I don't know... Another option would be to drink that funk nasty tar coffee work provides for free, I think it's called the "Business Blend." But ick.

Breakfast
Yogurt parfait:
Nancy's nonfat yogurt
Frozen mixed berries
Bob's Red Mill granola
Coffee with vanilla creamer

Lunch
Midwestern pasta salad (yes, AGAIN and it's finally gone)

Snack
Granola bar

Dinner
Salad with mixed greens, walnuts, gorgonzola, olive oil, and balsamic vinegar

Day 9 Recap

Breakfast
Apple
Granola bar
Coffee with vanilla creamer

Lunch
Midwestern pasta salad

Snack
Wasabi dry roasted edamame

Dinner
Midwestern pasta salad

Snack
Microwave popcorn

Sunday Parkways and Day 8 Recap

Evan and I volunteered as Intersection Superheroes at the Portland Sunday Parkways event in my neighborhood this weekend. It was a super fun community-building and physical activity-promoting event. A 6 mile loop of streets were closed off to through traffic and there were activities and music and other fun stuff at all the parks along the way. People bike, walk, roller skate, skateboard, run, etc. Lots of people young and old and families all in a great mood and enjoying the event. Our job was to escort any cars of people that lived on the street if they absolutely needed to come or go, and keep cross traffic from going through the barricades. People were pretty nice about it, so basically we got to sit in lawn chairs in the sun and watch the people go by. In true Portland fashion lots of people thanked us for volunteering as they passed. For some reason it made me uncomfortable and I didn't know how to respond. Your welcome? No problem? After Evan made fun of a cheesey shoulder shrug/head tilt combo while exclaiming "It's fun!" he became in charge of responding while I just smiled. He had a few good responses at the ready. www.portlandsundayparkways.com for more info on upcoming events or to volunteer.

Breakfast (thank you Evan!)
Bagel with margarine
Coffee with Oaxacan chocolate

Snack (thank you Sunday Parkways!)
Popped potato chips
Apple

Lunch
Midwestern pasta salad

Dinner
Midwestern pasta salad (yes, two meals in a row)

Day 7 Recap. Running Total: $112.34

Canoeing on Blue Lake

I had a foible yesterday, as you will see below for dinner, which I paid $24 including tip for two people. At least it was cheap. It was not healthy, and now I'm close to my monthly food budget and I haven't even completed two weeks. This is sooooo hard! I can't stand not eating out!

Breakfast
2 slices sourdough toast with margarine
Coffee with cream and sugar

Picnic Lunch with Evan, Terri, and Michael
Whole sandwich on sourdough with cheese, pickles, mayo and mustard
(Whole sandwich on sourdough with cheese, smoked turkey breast, and mayo for Evan)
Tabouleh to share
Waldorf salad (from Terri & Michael)
Grapes (from Terri & Michael)

Dinner at Bonfire Lounge
Felafel gyro
Fries
Side of mayo
TG IPA

Midwestern Pasta Salad Recipe

Ingredients
2 cups dry whole wheat fusilli
1/2 cup olive oil mayonnaise
1/4 cup fat-free sour cream (just realized the cashier at the grocery store didn't charge me for this!)
1/4 cup dill pickles sliced
1/4 t onion powder
1 small red pepper, chopped
1 cup frozen peas
1/2 cup shredded cheddar
3 medium scallions, chopped

Directions
Cook pasta according to package directions. Drain and rinse with cold water; drain again.

Meanwhile, to make dressing, combine mayo, sour cream, pickles, and onion powder in large bowl; mix well.

Toss pasta, pepper, peas, cheese, and scallions in the bowl with the dressing. Cover and chill for at least two hours.

Trip to the Market #2. Running total: $88.34

Nancy's nonfat plain yogurt - $1.99
Best Foods olive oil mayo - $4.29
Felafel mix - $1.12 (from the bulk section)
Smoked turkey breast (for Evan) - $2.75
Western Family shredded cheddar - $2.99
3 Pink lady apples - $2.29
Lemon juice - $0.69
1 head cabbage - $2.43
Green onions - $0.99
1 Red pepper - $2.28
Italian parsley - $1.29
1 Cucumber - $1.29
Onion powder - $2.19
Mint - $1.33 (bulk)
Salad mix - $0.98 (bulk)
4 tomatoes - $4.31
Bag refund - ($0.05)
Total = $35.45

Day 6 Recap

So I ran out of food. Thursday night I got home and ate the rest of my pasta salad, in addition to the popcorn. I didn't want to buy lunch on Day 6 so I scavengered through my cupboards and made rice and corn. I have black beans and cheese, which would have been yummy, but the black beans take a minimum of two hours to cook and I didn't have time. So, rice and corn. When I heated it up for lunch at work it was very bland. There is a condiment station in the lunchroom at work so I grabbed a packet of taco sauce and mixed it in. It was still gross. So I went back for my old stand-by condiment, mayo. Mayonnaise makes everything taste better, and it was true even for corn and rice.

I had another challenge yesterday, Evan invited me to a birthday dinner for a friend of his. I initially declined since I used my eating out token on Sunday. Which sucked because I hadn't met anyone in this group of friends, but thought it might be weird and rude to attend a birthday dinner and not eat. On the first time I met them. But, luckily, it was at Goose Hollow Inn and was very casual so I ate in the car on the way over and just had beers. I've decided not to count alcohol in my tally because it's just too hard to give up.

Here's my recap of Day #6:

Breakfast
Yogurt parfait:
Nancy's nonfat vanilla yogurt
Frozen mixed berries
Bob's Red Mill granola
Coffee with cream and sugar

Lunch
1/2 cup brown rice
1/2 cup corn
2T mayo
1T taco sauce

Dinner
Midwestern pasta salad (see recipe)
Beer (Porter, Pale Ale, IPA)

Day 5 Recap - This is Hard

I was sitting at work - my night job - having a battle with myself over going to the vending machine. I ate my dinner of pasta salad, but I knew it wasn't enough. I didn't grab anything else before I left the house. I suffered through it because I have already spent over $52. At this rate I'll be over budget by the end of the month. I have to tighten the reigns. Get creative. Work harder to identify the healthy stuff that's cheap. I thought tomatoes would be cheap, but no -- $4.07 for two!

Breakfast
Banana
Coffee with cream and sugar

Lunch
Whole sandwich on sourdough with cheddar, pickles, mayo, and mustard
Leftover pasta salad not finished for lunch yesterday

Snack
Wasabi roasted edamame

Dinner
Leftover pasta salad -- getting kind of sick of it. Only one more serving left.

Snack
Broken Halo IPA
Pop Secret microwave popcorn

Spinach White Pizza Recipe

Makes 4 medium pizzas - I made 3 and we ate 1.5 last night

Ingredients for dough
1/2 cup warm water
1 envelope active dry yeast
1 1/4 cups water, at room temperature
2 T olive oil
4 cups bread flour, plus extra for dusting hands and work surfaces
1 1/2 t salt

Ingredients for topping
2 T olive oil
4 medium garlic cloves, slivered
1/4 t hot red pepper flakes
1 1/4 lbs spinach, washed, partly dried, and coarsly chopped
8 oz package shredded Italian cheese blend
1/4 cup grated Parmesan cheese

Directions
Add a packet of yeast to 1/2 cup warm water and let ferment five minutes. Add rest of the water and 2T olive oil and mix. Measure 2 cups flour into a large bowl, add the yeast mixture and stir with a wooden spoon to combine. Add an additional 2 cups of flour and stir to combine. Pour dough onto a flour surface and knead until smooth and elastic, 7-8 minutes. Put in an oiled bowl, cover with plastic wrap, and let rise until doubled, about two hours.

Punch down the dough and dump onto a floured work surface. Divide the dough into four balls. Let the dough rest at least five minutes but no more than 30. Take one ball, smoosh it down into a disk. Then use the tips of your fingers to dabble into the dough and work it into a disk further. Then, with one palm in the center of the dough, gently pull the edges outward to spread it out even thinner.

Wash and roughly chop the spinach. Slice four cloves of garlic. Pour 2T olive oil into a saucepan over medium heat. Add the garlic and a few dashes of red pepper flakes. After a minute, add the spinach, cover and cook for two minutes or until wilted.

Brush each dough round with olive oil and top with the spinach mixture. Bake on a pizza stone at 450 F for 8-10 minutes. Add the cheese and bake an additional 2-3minutes.

Day 4 Recap

Breakfast
Coffee with half and half and organic sugar
Yogurt parfait:
Nancy's nonfat vanilla yogurt (from a big container)
Frozen mixed berries (left to thaw in the yogurt)
Bob's Red Mill granola

Lunch
1/2 sandwich on sourdough with Tillamook cheddar, pickle, mayo, and mustard
Leftover pasta salad

Snack
Wasabi roasted edamame

Dinner with the boyfriend
Spinach white pizza (see recipe)
Pinot Noir (brought over by the bf)

I Broke My Halo. Running total: $52.89

Today I made two food purchases. One was healthy, one was not. I keep a stash of healthy snacks at work to prevent bad decisions (i.e. chips from the vending machine). I've been keeping only granola bars for the last six weeks, and I was staring at them today thinking, "please, no more granola bars." So I went on a walk down to New Seasons on my lunch break and picked up a bag of roasted wasabi edamame for $1.99. Good for you, but so hot you can't mindlessly eat them a handful at a time. I don't feel too bad about that. Incidentally, I saw an interesting book there called Everything I Ate: A Year in the Life of My Mouth by Tucker Shaw. It was a 500-page photo diary of every single thing he put in his mouth over the course of the year with captions of what, when, where, and with whom. Entertaining enough to flip through in the store but not enough to buy.

Later, on the way home from work tonight, I swung by my neighborhood Albertson's and picked up some Broken Halo IPA on sale for $6.99 plus the $0.30 bottle deposit. That Albertson's is the devil. Every day that I work late and come home exhausted and hungry it lures me in and tricks me into buying things like beer. Ah well, I'm human.

Breakfast
Seattle's Best coffee with cream and sugar
Banana
Nature's Path organic mmmmaple pecan granola bar

Lunch
Leftover quinoa pilaf with broccoli, red pepper, red onion, and corn

Snack
Roasted wasabi edamame

Dinner
Leftover whole wheat penne with salsa romesco

Snack
Widmer Brothers Broken Halo IPA

Pasta Salad with Broccoli and Olives Recipe

This is a delicious recipe from the Best Recipes cookbook.

Ingredients
Salt
1.5 lbs broccoli (1 small head)
1/8 cup lemon juice and 1/4 t lemon zest from 1 lemon
1 garlic clove, minced
1/4 t red pepper flakes
1/4 cup olive oil
1/2 lb whole wheat fusilli
10-15 kalamata olives, chopped
7-8 fresh basil leaves, shredded

Directions
Bring 2 quarts water to a boil over high heat. Add salt to taste and broccoli and cook until crisp-tender, about 2 minutes. Drain and cool to room temperature.

Meanwhile, whisk lemon juice and zest, garlic, 1/4 t salt, and red pepper flakes in a large bowl; whisk in oil in slow, steady stream until smooth.

Add pasta to a pot of salted boiling water and cook until al dente. Drain and toss all ingredients together. This dish tastes the best after it's had a couple hours in the fridge.

I Heart Whole Grains

Why?
Because research shows that they lower cholesterol and triglycerides; reduce the risk of heart attack, stroke, and the need for a procedure to bypass or open a clogged artery; lower insulin levels and reduce risk of type 2 diabetes; improve digestive health (thank you, fiber); and may also reduce the risk of cancer, particularly colon cancer.

What is a whole grain, anyway?
A whole grain has three parts. The outer layer is tough and fibrous and is called bran. It protects the inside. Next is the starchy endosperm which provides energy for the reproductive kernel called germ. The germ in vitamins, minerals, and unsaturated oils (the good kind). When grains are processed, the bran and germ are stripped away and all that is left is the starchy endosperm, which keeps a long time and is easy to digest. The bran and the germ pack nutritional punch, but really, it's all three together that work the magic.

How do I find whole grains?
Many are obvious because they say right on the package. Remember to look for "whole grain," and not the sneaky imposter "multi-grain." I'm onto you Mr. Multi-grain, you're just a marketing ploy. Pastas, breads, and cereals all abound with whole grain options. But what's not so obviously a whole grain? Here's a short list: oatmeal, popcorn, barley, and even some pancake and waffle mixes come in whole grain. Or you can make the batter from scratch using whole grain flour!

Breakfast
Seattle's Best coffee with half and half and organic sugar (x2)
Breakfast sandwich:
Franz whole wheat English muffin, toasted
1 scrambled egg
1/2 oz. Tillamook cheddar cheese
A squirt of spicy brown mustard

Lunch
1/2 leftover white spinach pizza

Dinner
Pasta salad with broccoli and olives (see recipe)

Salsa Romesco Recipe

This rich and flavorful Spanish sauce is nothing like an Italian marinara sauce. It's much more assertive and complex from roasting the tomatoes and garlic, toasting the nuts and chile, with a little added zing from the red wine vinegar. It's most often served with seafood such as scallops or grilled shrimp, but I put it on pasta. It's freaking delicious. Makes 2 1/2 cups.

Ingredients
4 tomatoes, cored
1 head of garlic, sliced in half crosswise
2 T + 1/3 cup olive oil
1/4 cup blanched almonds (submerge in boiling water 30 seconds, pinch off skins)
1/4 cup hazelnuts
1 dried ancho chile, cored, seeded, slit (I use dried New Mexico chile)
1 t kosher or sea salt
2-3 T red wine vinegar


Directions
Heat oven to 375 F. Put the tomatoes and half of the garlic head in a baking pan. Drizzle 1T olive oil into the cored tomato wells and on the garlic. Roast until tomatoes and garlic are well caramelized but not burnt, about 90 minutes.

Chop the remaining half head of garlic and throw into a blender.

While the tomatoes roast, heat 1T olive oil in a small saute pan over medium heat. Toast the almonds and hazelnuts until golden, 5-6 minutes. Toss in the blender. Sear chile in the same pan until smoke whisp appears, 10 seconds per side. Soak in a cup of hot tap water until soft, 15 minutes. Drain and add to blender.

After tomatoes and garlic are cool, pinch off the skins. Put the pulp in the blender, add salt, start the blender, and pour 1/3 cup oil in the hole to emulsify. Add the vinegar and pulse to incorporate.

What's on the Menu Today (err, Yesterday)?

Do you really want to be bored with the mundane details of my daily diet? Probably not, but tough. I need some accountability here so I'm writing it down.

I already have a dilemma. I think I used my eating out token for the week by having lunch with friends. But, my friend treated. So does it count? On one hand it didn't affect my food budget. But on the other it was still eating out no matter the cost. I'm counting it. So that means no more eating out for the rest of the week including Friday and Saturday nights. Uuuuugh.

We had lunch at a place called Island Cafe (www.islandcafepdx.com). It was a beautiful sunny 70 degree day in Portland and this floating restaurant on Hayden Island was the perfect spot. I never even realized there was more on Hayden Island than the Jantzen Beach Mall! That's embarrassing to admit. We were out on the deck in the sun when suddenly we saw a sea lion surface and then dive back down. I didn't believe it, in the river? The waitress said they've been making their way inland the last couple years in search of salmon. I did a little poking around later and discovered that the departments of fish and wildlife in Oregon and Washington have received federal authorization to "remove" (lethally and otherwise) sea lions because they are threatening the salmon and steelhead populations. Both of which are protected under the Endangered Species Act. (Source: www.dfw.state.or.us/fish/SeaLion/faqs.asp) It's sad to think about. Moving on.

I also spent some money on a snack between breakfast and lunch. I went into work for a few hours, lunch wasn't until 2:00 PM, and I got hungry and had nothing with me. Poor planning lead to $0.85 at the vending machine.

Breakfast
1 slice sourdough toast with vegetable oil buttery spread
Red seedless grapes
Seattle's Best coffee with 1/2 and 1/2 and organic sugar

Snack
Gardettos from the vending machine - $0.85

Lunch at Island Cafe
Lobster salad wrap
Potato chips
Lemonade

Dinner
Whole wheat penne with salsa romesco (see recipe)

To the market we go...

I contemplated how to report money spent. Cost per day? Cost per meal? With or without the cost of ingredients I already have (such as spices)? In the end, I've decided to report simply what I spend on the day I spend it. Meaning, by trip to the grocery store or restaurant. My first outing was yesterday, I went to New Seasons Market, a local store here in Portland. Here's what I spent:

Bob's Red Mill bread flour (5 lbs): $3.99
25.4 fl oz olive oil: $8.99
Head of garlic: $0.96
1/2 lb bulk spinach: $3.29
Tillamook Italian cheese: $3.99
3 packets yeast: $2.39
16 oz whole wheat fusilli: $2.49
Pop Secret microwave popcorn: $2.99
Alpen Rose half and half: $1.19
15 oz frozen berries: $3.99
1/4 lb kalamata olives (from the olive bar): $2.30
1 lemon: $0.64
Head of broccoli: $1.53
2 tomatoes: $4.07
Reusable bag refund: -$0.05
Total: $42.76

Another 90-Day Adventure Begins

I recently started a new job as a Health Coach, a lateral move within the same company but more closely aligned with my career goals. I counsel people on behavior change and adopting a healthier lifestyle. This includes eating healthy, exercising, losing weight, managing stress, sleep hygiene, quitting tobacco, etc. This job combines two things I am passionate about: helping people and healthful lifestyle. It's amazing how much you can reduce your risk of major illness just by eating right, exercising, and managing your weight: cancer, hypertension, diabetes, cardiovascular disease... the list goes on.

In this new role I work with people at various stages of readiness to change. Many people have been referred by their doctor, who wants them to lose weight, but they don't yet want it for themselves. This becomes apparent when I hear the long list of barriers to change.

I started this blog to test the validity of a popular barrier: healthy food is expensive. My plan is to spend no more than $150/month on food, for a total of $450 in 90 days. AND that will include one meal per week eaten out. AND the food will be local as much as possible.

Can it be done? I don't know. I don't really watch what I spend on food in a typical month. However, I do know that it's too much. I love food, I love to cook, I love to enjoy delicious food at good restaurants. Food is where I spend a lot of my discretionary income. This will be a challenge.